Framework of ecological infrastructure construction based on landsenses ecology: meeting natural and human needs

ABSTRACT

Ecological infrastructure (EI) is an essential urban infrastructure that is not only related to ecological resilience but the human needed ecosystem services. However, most studies overlook EI’s multi-functional benefits, especially the importance of residents’ satisfaction. As a typical nature-based solutions (NbS) through ecological engineering, EI construction should abide by the laws of nature and consider the requirements of human well-being. Based on the theory of landsenses ecology (LE), this study proposes a framework, including construction ideas, approaches, principles, and construction flow, to guide the whole process of EI construction, meeting natural and human needs. Moreover, a practice including EI facilities and an Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring system construction has been taken in Sangdong, Huizhou, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), China. The practice study indicates that the proposed framework of EI construction can successfully restore the regional ecological environment quality and play a significant role in restoring the black-odorous waterbodies to their original ecological vitality. Secondly, using social surveys to thoroughly analyze residents’ physical, psychological, and cultural perceptions and integrating their visions into the EI design scheme can improve residents’ satisfaction and support human well-being. Besides, IoT technology is helpful for digital EI supervision, dealing with real-time, online, and quantitative benefit evaluation and management. This paper focuses on practical exploration and experience sharing of how EI construction meets natural and human needs, aiming at providing experience and ideas for adequate urban ecological infrastructure (UEI) construction to support human and nature development hand in hand.

KEYWORDS:

• Ecological infrastructure construction
• landsenses ecology
• nature-based solutions
• human well-being
• green infrastructure

Acknowledgments

We also thank for the help from Associate Prof. Lin Liu, Dr. Ting Lan and Dr. Yu Xin from institute of urban environment during works.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2023.2209871.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the The ”Strategic Priority Research Program (A)” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences [XDA23030201].